Reflections Of Angels

Blood Runs Deep

Warning: some behaviour here that borders on self-harm.

At the bathroom sink he turned on the tap and ran his hands under the water, before lowering his face to wash off the filth from training. The water was cool against his skin; sweet and refreshing. As he lifted his face and wiped away the droplets that ran down into his eyes, the mirror came into view and he started violently in fright.

The demon looked back at him from his reflection; the black-eyed visage of his own face looking mildly amused for a moment at his reaction before sinking into a more stern expression. "Cute." It snarled. "You've been avoiding her for days and now you're finding excuses to rut up on her like a dog. It's desperate."

"Shut up." He grumbled and turned off the tap, moving to walk away.

"It is." The demon of himself insisted. "And I wouldn't be so quick to trust a woman who snuck a weapon into your house and didn't tell you about it."

"That's not-!" He rounded on the mirror quickly, holding up a jabbing finger. "She forgot!"

"Sure she did." The reflection drawled, rolling his eyes to the ceiling. "If she's going to lie to us, she can at least tell better lies than that." He looked directly at him again. "Please don't tell me you've learnt nothing."

"Go. Away!" Bit the reply through gritted teeth. "I know what you're trying. It's not working."

But the demon was having too much fun goading him; the hooks were in deep now.

The reflection looked sideways with his black eyes towards the door. "What are you so determined to protect her from anyway with all this training? Me? ...You?" His grin glinted with savage teeth.

"Get out!" His fingers were in his hair, buried deep, frantically pulling at his own locks; like he wanted to to pull him out of his own head. Eyes wide and frenzied, he scratched at his own face before clawing at the skin of his arms and wrists. "Get out of me! Get out! GET OUT!"

In desperation, he slammed his hands against the mirror; then again, then again, until it broke. The glass fell like deadly rain into the sink- and hundreds of dark eyes looked back at him, in every piece, going on forever. 

And suddenly it was gone.

Blood bubbled under the broken skin of his hand. Expressionlessly, he looked at it, then clenched his fingers into a fist.